Polnoch
by avrovulcan
Summary: Illya goes on a simple courier run, but not is all as it seems. Originally written for Picfic Tuesday on LJ.


_Something was calling her and she knew she'd be needed soon. _

_She'd been in this strange new city for a few days now, but didn't know how she'd arrived. Like so many times before, she'd curled up to sleep, and when she woke, found herself in someplace new; but it only happened when there was an assignment to be carried out._

_She'd explored the area and familiarised herself with her surroundings, now it was time to find the object of her mission, the reason she was here._

* * *

Illya Kuryakin left UNCLE HQ New York through Del Floria's. As he was about to take the steps to street level, he noticed a huge black cat with striking yellow eyes sat at the top, looking at him intently.

"Hello kitty, where have you come from?"

He took the steps slowly so as not to scare the feline away; holding his hand out, the beautiful creature purred and leaned into his caress.

"Ahh, you like that, yes?"

Kuryakin noticed the collar it was wearing and looked to see if there was anything to identify it.

"So that is your name; _Polnoch_, Midnight in my language, a fitting one for you indeed."

The cat mewed, seemingly in agreement, winding herself around her new found human.

The Russian continued petting the cat for a couple more minutes before straightening up and bidding goodbye to the animal.

"I have to go now or I will be late for my appointment, it was a pleasure to meet you, my friend."

Polnoch watched as the man walked away, this was the one, she was certain of it. When she was sure she wouldn't be noticed she followed at a discreet distance.

Illya was on a simple milk run, THRUSH seemed to have gone quiet lately, and being stuck inside HQ was sending him stir crazy. When Napoleon mentioned the courier drop he jumped at the chance, just to be able to get out felt so good.

He checked his watch, there was ten minutes left, so he took a leisurely stroll to the contact point, keeping alert for any trouble.

Standing at the news venders kiosk, he accepted the magazine containing the microfile of next month's new passwords and code phrases, which he pocketed, bought a newspaper and started to make his return journey.

Kuryakin rounded the next corner and crossed the street. Polnoch watched as the Russian entered the park, then dodging the traffic as only a cat can, she followed her charge into the open space; her senses immediately went on alert, her human was in imminent danger.

She sprinted as fast as she could through the shrubbery, overtaking Illya, and reached a set of steps her new friend was heading for. Sitting herself down on the bottom one, Polnoch waited.

As Illya approached the stairs he saw the black cat sat there staring at him. "Hello again, what are you doing here?"

The golden eyes looked at him and the feline moved to where the Russian was about to place his foot.

"I am sorry I can not stop, I have to get back."

"Mreeewwww."

Again Polnoch prevented Illya from advancing, he couldn't be allowed to go any further in that direction.

"I really have to go, I do not have time to stop and pet you, I am sorry."

Kuryakin tried to step around the cat, but it seemed to move impossibly fast and prevented him from placing a foot on the step.

"I think you are trying to tell me something are you not?"

"Mrrruup."

"You do not want me to go this way?"

"Meeoww." The black cat wound around his feet and started to walk in another direction, stopping and glancing back over his shoulder. "Mrreeeew."

Illya knew the cat was trying to tell him something, there was some reason why it wouldn't let him proceed in the direction he wished to go. He knew they seemed to have a sixth sense about things and decided to trust in this felines judgement.

He was about to follow the cat when there was an explosion up past the stairs, the blast threw him to the floor, landing close to the cat, debris raining down on both of them.

Feeling dazed the Russian drew himself up and looked over to Polnoch, his face dropped as he saw a dark stickyness marring the black coat and he crawled his way over to the creature.

"Mrrew."

"Shh, you will be fine, I will look after you. After all, you did save my life. Thank you Polnoch."

Gentle fingers checked the animal over as he spoke to it and found a large cut, probably made by the flying rubble.

"Illya? Illya are you okay?"

"Napoleon? Yes I am fine, but I need to get this cat to some help, it is hurt."

"Cat? What cat?"

"This black on..." Illya stopped mid word as when he turned back, there was nothing there, and no sign there ever was.

"It was there, a large black cat, I first saw it outside Del Floria's, then just now. It prevented me from walking into the explosion."

"Maybe it ran away, it was a loud noise."

"No, it was injured, it could not have gone anywhere."

"Maybe you were hit on the head harder than you thought, _tovarisch_."

Solo helped his partner up and they made their way back to HQ.

"What was it anyway, THRUSH?"

"No, not this time, it was a gas explosion."

"How did you know I was here?"

"When you didn't come back, we traced you."

"I haven't been gone that long."

"Illya, you were half an hour late."

"I must have been knocked out then."

"Mmm, I guess so. We'll get you checked out."

"I am fine."

All the way back Illya kept an eye out for the mysterious black feline, but saw no sign of it anywhere. By the time they entered the building he was beginning to think maybe he'd imagined it.

Back in their office, after grudgingly visiting Medical, Illya was quieter and more withdrawn than usual, he was still puzzling over the strange appearance and disappearance of Polnoch.

Feeling concerned about his partner, Napoleon pulled the tape from the Del Floria's security camera and spooled it to where the Russian had left for his assignment. He watched it through before showing it to his friend.

The tape showed Illya sprinting up the steps and disappearing from view, nothing out of the ordinary and definitely no cat - Well that was what Napoleon saw.

Illya saw a black cat sat waiting on the top step, then himself petting it before leaving. The animal sat and looked straight into the camera's eye seemingly staring straight at Kuryakin as if it knew he was watching and meowed, before fading from sight.

Illya smiled as he watched it disappear, he wasn't a superstitious person or believed in the supernatural, but sometimes things happened that even he couldn't explain in scientific terms.

Later that night as he left Del Floria's to go home, an object caught his eye. A black collar was lying on the top step, a simple name tag declaring it belonged to 'Polnoch'.

The Russian picked it up and he could have sworn he heard a familiar mrreew and something rub itself against his legs, but there was nothing on the street except himself.

He smiled and put the collar in his pocket before continuing on his way home, maybe he would keep it as a talisman, for scientific reasons of course.


End file.
